Oil-flushing system.



PATENTED JULY l0, 1906.

M. D. MITCHELL. GIL FLUSHING SYSTEM.

APFLLUAMUN MLBD AUG.4,1904.

` UNITED sTATns PATENT oFFIoE.

MARK D. MITCHELL, or FRANKLIN, PENNI-YLVANIA.

OIL-FLUSHING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1906.

Appiiwaon nea Angus 4, 1904. serial No. 219.513.-

. To all whom t may concern:

` wherein the supply is limited or the capacity of the Well intermittently exhausted within certain times by reason of a slow feed or sup-l ply from the oil-hearing stratum.

In oil-wells having a limited flow an inactivity at intervals of the pumpin mechanism is required, especially when the level of the oil in the pockets of such wellsis below the intake means or terminal of the pumping mechanism. 4

The method embodying the features of the invention consists in supplying a driving medium under pressure to the oil-bearing stratum within an eiective radius or proximity to one or more oil-well pockets. Advantage is taken of the confinement of the oil-bearing stratum under usual natural conditions between upper and lower strata of a dense nature to confine the pressure to the oil-bearing stratum to concentrate the effect- Ive driving and carrying influence of the pressure medium with res ect to the oil-well pocket or pockets within t e operative radius or proximity to the point of application of the pressure. This artificial pressure is to be understood as being entirely independent of any natural gas or other physicalfpressure; but this extraneous pressure may enter the pocket or pocketswith the oil and outlet through the ordinary gas-escape means of the well or wells with which it cooperates. The advantage of applying thisarticial pressure in the manner stated is that the oil in the roductive stratum, which may under natural) conditions have a slow exudation into a pocket or pockets within a given area of su ply, is forced to feed the lattermore expe 'tiously and maintain a constancy of oil-level within the pocket or pockets with material. advantage in the output of one or means for applying pressure to the stratum .'hole with respect to the pocket of the well. The oil-stratum 1 is conned, as usual, between dense strata 2, of slate or other material, and as in ordinary well drilling or Jforming operations a pocket 3 of a well 4 is formed within the said stratum 1. his well, as in ordinary constructions, will be equipped with a suitable casing 5, a pumping mechanism 6 operl ativerom the surface b any suitable means, and a gas vent or out et 7. 'A number of wells may be advantageously influenced by a single ressure-applying medium, and it is not to e understood that the invention is in any wise limited to the showing in the drawing, which is intended to convey solely the idea of a simplified a plication. Incarrying out the method a ho e 8 is bored through the earth' down to the oil-stratum 1 and may terminate, as shown, in an enlargement or pocket A9 to render the pressure medium more eifective with respect to the oil-bearing stratum. This hole 8 may bea well in adjacency to a number of other wells and may have the ordinary casing therein, or such may be specially prepared and equi ped with a casing particularly adapted for t e purpose. This variation will be dependent upon the necessities for practically establishing the method in relation to a well or a number of wells. ever, a packer or occluder 10 is inserted in the u per dense stratum 2 at the upper termina of the pocket 9, and in some instances a similar packer maybe introduced at the bottom of the said pocket. The packer '10 has a pi e or conduit 11 connecting therewith andpopening through the bottom of the same, the said pipe continuing upwardly through the hole or opening 8 or the well, as the case may be, and through an upper plug or closure 12. This "pipe 11 may connect In any event, how.

with a compressor or other suitable device,

the compressing medium. The compressing rot,

medium may consist of air, gas, or other fluid, to which may be icient to overcome any laxity in the forceful operation desired in the pocket or chamber 9 by an extended or long conveyance to the hole or opening 8.

The pressure medium arriving 1n the pocket or chamber 9 will force the dormant imparted a force suf'- loi i IIO method shall cooperate, and as the compressed air, gas, or other fluid permeates and passes through the stratum 1 the oil will.

either beforeed ahead of the same into the well pocket or pockets to be benefited by the method or such oil will be carried with the pressurel medium and b oth enter the well pocket or pockets, the oil being deposited in the latter and the pressure medium passing upwardly through thewell or wells and back to a storage-reservoir or to a compressor,in accordance with the nature of the pressure medium and the instrumentalities employed to arrive at the forceful nature thereof desired. This a plication of a pressure medium to an 0i -bearing stratum will be confined in its operation to said stratum owing to the packing feature heretofore set forth and the density of the strata 2, and the only outlets therefor will be through the oil-well pockets, and hence the oil must necessarily be driven thereby into said pockets, and consequently the oil in the pockets will be main-` tained at a more nearly uniform level and permit the pumps or pumping mechanism to continue to operate Without cessation with a material advantage in the output of Wells ordinarily hav-ing a slack flow and dependent on their supply upon gravitation or other natural operations. lIt will be understood that the force or driving nature of the pressure medium will be governed by the supoil-bearing stratum.

Instead of the simplified means set forth for concentrating the pressure or oil-driving medium between the strata 2 and preventing 'posed quantity of oil contained Withinx the 5 escape of ,the same above the uppermost 4o stratum 2 the pressure medium may be de' livered by any other suitable means having occluding features or a concentrating organization with respect to the oil-:bearing A stratum.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is D 1. The method of accelerating the supply of voil to a pocket Within an oil-bearing stratum, devoid of natural pressure consisting in applying and confining an artificial pressure medium with respect .to the stratum at a distance from the pocket and causing such medium to permeate and pass through the stratum and escape through the pocket.

2. The herein-described method of. maintaining a supply of oil in a pocketwithin an oil-bearing stratum devoid of a natural pressure, consisting in applying an artificial abnormal pressure to the said stratum in the direction of thepocket.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presenceof two subscribing Witnesses.

MARK D. MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. REA, JAMES L. NoRRIs. 

